As we’re finally coming out of winter, my brain starts wondering what bright colors I’ll want to wear to match the flowers popping out of the ground. And then the Ember Rocket showed up on my doorstep. With a unique case and a saturated color scheme, this is a great watch to bring you out of the dark of winter and into the bright colors of spring and summer.
The first thing I noticed when I opened the box was the bright dial. The Skyline Pink colorway is not one to be ignored. Ember went bold with their color choices. The pink dial is offset by a yellow seconds hand and framed by the black chapter ring. The other colorways use similarly bold color combinations: white with mint green (Glacial White), black with cobalt blue (Midnight Neon), and blue with orange accents. At publishing time, there’s also a newly announced light blue variant available for pre-order. Each dial features cutouts exposing a BWG9 lume disk that readily charges under the strengthening sun. The pencil hands are also generous with the lume.
Another unique feature of the Rocket is the faceted titanium case. Titanium is becoming a more popular material for cases as manufacturing becomes more cost-effective. Advances in manufacturing are also responsible for the increased variety of case shapes. Ember brings those two into a very well-manufactured package. The facets of the case add to the sporty vibe of the watch. The mirror-polished bezel adds visual lightness to the somewhat blocky case. The reflections from the bezel catch the dial color at the right angles to bring the pop of color out from the dial.
On the case back, Ember chose to go with a tessellated pattern of their logo instead of a plain back or a display window. I think this was a great choice because it showcases the precision machining again. The slightly raised texture of the case back also allows for a bit of airflow between the watch and your wrist. Flat case backs tend to get “stuck”, especially as the temperature heats up in spring. The 40mm diameter case itself sits squarely on my wrist thanks to its short lugs (only 47mm long) and the well-articulated bracelet.
I received a sample of the Rocket with the new titanium bracelet, which will be an option for future models. The bracelet is a fantastic match for the case, both aesthetically and physically. The hex-shaped links are a good match for the case and flow freely around my 6.5” wrist. The female end links fit flush with the case and let the bracelet move easily. I found it interesting that Ember included instructions on how to set the time and swap the bracelet (quick change spring bars, of course), but not how to use the microadjust feature. It took me a couple of tries before I figured out the button to adjust it, but it worked well.
The clasp is a little longer than my usual choices, but it fit comfortably. The extra mass in the clasp also balanced the weight of the watch head. The watch didn’t try to slip around my wrist, even while wearing it while working in the yard. I appreciated the choice to go with screwed links. Between that and the microadjust on the clasp, getting the bracelet to the proper fit was a quick process.
Ember also included rubber and leather strap options in the box. The rubber strap was by far my favorite strap choice. Yes, it was basic black, but it was flexible and had a neat hex pattern on the back that kept the strap from sticking to my wrist in an uncomfortable way. Wearing the watch on the rubber strap felt like wearing nothing at all, thanks to the titanium. The rubber strap is finished with a signed titanium buckle.
To be perfectly honest, I didn’t even try the black leather strap that Ember included. It felt stiff to handle and just didn’t seem like it would vibe with the watch. Applying Coco Chanel’s famous advice would serve Ember well here: leave the leather strap out of the box. I’d have much preferred a second rubber option (white would be a great way to pop the dial more for summer). The Rocket has a very sporty vibe. Call me a traditionalist, but a basic, genuine leather strap just isn’t it.
Under the hood, Ember went with the OG reliable microbrand movement: a Seiko NH38. It’s the NH35, without the date function. Avoiding a ghost state position in the crown is always a thoughtful touch. The movement performed as reliably as ever and was easy to set with the nicely proportioned crown. Along with the case, the screw down crown provides a perfectly reasonable 10ATM of water resistance.
The Ember Rocket is a great watch to wear into spring. At $486 for the watch and just under $600 for a version with the bracelet, the Rocket presents an attractive package. The bright dial pops on your wrist, but the titanium construction won’t weigh you down as you emerge from winter hibernation into springtime adventures. Head over to the Ember website to check out the watch for yourself.
